AnonymousAA72

At the time of the RAF review for The Queen's coronation, an Air Vice Marshal had "his" Meteor F8 painted in overall Dark Green. Details are in the 'Fighting Colours' book by Bruce Robertson - my copy is some 300 miles away at the moment, so I'm unable to confirm its serial....just a thought though......

An indicator of the underside colour of Hunters could be that if the upper wing Camo wraps around and under the leading edge of the wings by a couple of inches then it's likely to be Light Aircraft Grey. Those with a leading edge central split are most likely to be Silver. There are always exceptions of course, some of the 8 Sqn and 208 Sqn FGA9s based in Aden in the early 1960s (see the RADFAN site) had much lower than normal demarkation along the nose area resulting in a wrap under the wings. As T7 rightly says, Light Aircraft Grey was introduced as T7 from 1966 onwards. Most home based FGA9's still in frontline service with 1 and 54 Sqn for example, and the FR10's with 4 and 2 Sqns in RAFG would have had LACG applied.

I'm away from home at the moment, but I'll post some photo's when I get back. I have actually started a rebuild of my GA11, it's been languishing in a box in a sorry state for a few years too many!

For my GA11, I discarded the kit piece and replaced it with a section of the kits Drop tank. Then faired on with Milliput. The rear end wasn't perfect but the external shape okay

Thanks Col, I have a coat of primer on and have given her a rub down or two (oo er Mrs!) . I'm away on hols for a couple of weeks so will get some colour on when I get home...

Just for clarification....The F6A was a Mk6 that had been upgraded to Interim FGA9 standard. Most were eventually fully upgraded to full FGA 9 standard but some never did, as they didn't have the full "tropicalisation/air-con" equipment fit, nor the full weapons fit . Additionally If you look on the upper nose of the FGA9 just in front if the windscreen, there's a small triangular IFF aerial. This doesn't appear on the F6A.......accordingly to Aeroguide 9/Linewrights anyway. .....but, I have seen photo's of standard F6 jets WITH the IFF aerial......so take that as you will. In modelling terms, the F6A and the FGA9 are externally identical....apart from maybe that IFF fit.....maybe?

But Wez, he wasn't asking about the F6A he was asking how to convert the FGA9 into an F6.....

Nicely done Chris! You still have it mate!

One other bit to consider is the wing flaps. The FGA9 kit has cutouts to accommodate the 230 gallon tanks. The F6 didn't have that feature, simply you can ( and maybe, really, should!) glue them closed anyway and fill the groove. Depending on your F6 and it's time frame bring modelled, you could remove the wing extended leading edges, this was a feature of the F6 when first delivered....included early 'Black Arrow' Hunters of 111sqn....

I'll take your word on that Dave, I wasn't there!!

In one of Paul Lucas's books on RAF post war colours, and in SAM, he suggested that some Spitfire FR.18's of 2Sqn in RAFG in standard day fighter schemes were over painted in EDSG and Extra Dark Green upper surfaces with PRU Mauve lower surfaces....

EDSG is most certainly a grey. Xtracolor's version is pretty much spot on. You could also try Humbrol 123.

I think WB188 has come out rather well...I've just started on my a Echelon T8C and whereas it's a great vacform kit...it's certainly a challenge! Very nicely done....

Thank you all for the encouragement...it will come in handy! I promise you that! Construction started with the wings, the right starboard wing as been cut out and re-scribed , `I'm not too happy with the scribing to be honest, The plastic is quite "flaky", but given its age thats hardly surprising! Its proving difficult to get a dead nice straight defined line. I'll have a think about that. I've been toying wit the idea of "plating' the wing in 5thou plastic card, and cut out individual panels and butt-join them. That would also help with the rivets and may, just may, provide a puckered textured stressed skin effect. It may be a step too far!! In which case I'll revert to a good coat or three of Halford's primer, and re-scribe into that. Anyway, progress thus far. Vacform plastic, by its nature is flimsy. To build some rigidity into it. i added strengthening "spars" as used to be recommended in Dynavector kit's, though Taro suggesting supergluing these in, to stop possible melting through of the plastic. I never had any problems, so have used Tamiya thin to glue them in... The wheel wells aren't that well detailed as provided, so I decided to replace the well roof with plastic card. The ribs and plumbing will follow, I need to find some rivets along the main strip. I've been practising with "Rosie the Riveter"" but may revert to Mr Archer's decals! And finally for today....many, many years ago my old and departed friend Peter Ogden gave me an unfinished Hunter FGA9. He couldn't be bothered masking it for painting , so asked if I would finish it off, I had already started my FGA9 build so agreed, but decided to convert Peter's FGA9 into a FRADU GA11. It has seen better days..but as it was handily placed I decided I could use that as a template for scribing, adding ducts etc., and as I still have most off the parts (the niose cone is somewhere safe- I just need to remember where!) I thought it would be nice to re-build it, but back date it an Extra Dark Sea Grey and White jet, instead of the later Dark Sea Grey scheme shown here. It will also let me make good a few mistakes in the original kit (ailerons/airbrakes etc)

Thanks for that Andrew. I have crash moulded canopies in the past, but nothing as big as this! I expect I would use up quite a few sheets of acetate too!! I will try Paul Fisher again,, I have the whole conversion set, so know how well moulded it is. It's an awful lot better than any attempt I may make!